Constitution is properly dormant
A May 7 letter writer is right. The Senate should proceed to consider the nomination of Merrick Garland now. But the letter writer is wrong about our Constitution. It is not "living" but properly dormant except when amended.
Capital punishment is accepted conceptually in both the Fifth and 14th Amendments. If Bratton opposes capital punishment (as does my wife), he should be promoting a new amendment to this venerable document.
James W. Hiestand
Gitz tax comments only half a loaf
Occasional TFP commentator Bradley Gitz wrote recently about how put-upon the rich are by their high taxes, calling them a "shakedown" and "theft." The Koch brothers should put him on retainer - if that hasn't happened already. Gitz correctly points out that the rich pay a lot of money and the poor don't pay much federal income tax. However, I think he has left some factors out of his treatise.
First, most of the very wealthy, e.g., Warren Buffett, Mitt Romney, pay a lesser percentage of their income in federal taxes than the average guy with a good job. Why? Unearned income (capital gains, dividends) is taxed at a lower rate than W2 income. Also, in relation to the "lucky duckies" who pay no federal tax, the tax due on high earners' first few thousand dollars is exactly the same as theirs: nuttin!
Additionally, Gitz fails to discuss payroll taxes, which the poor pay on all their dollars and the rich only pay on their first dollars, or state and local taxes which, in this state at least, are harder on the poor than the wealthy. By his work, Gitz proves that a half truth can be more effective than a lie.
Byron Chapin
Hixson
Rep. Travis, please fix Rhea highways
Rhea County has for the most part consisted of loyal Republicans. Especially those areas from Spring City to the northern county line. But we also have a history of ousting representatives who either embarrass us or do not serve us well.
Our current representative has taken good care of the state roads entering and leaving Dayton, but he has totally neglected Highway 27 from Spring City south. All four lanes need to be filled in and repaved. Anyone traveling to Rockwood or merely attending church on Sunday or Wednesday evening has reason to complain.
State Rep. Ron Travis was elected when we ousted our last representative, so he should be aware of our sentiments and our loyalties. We don't ask for much. Just fix our highways. We know you can.
Robert Scott
Spring City
Personal finance classes are vital
You published a lengthy article in Wednesday's paper concerning payday lending and the sometimes illegal practices those lenders do. Payday lending is simply a high-interest rate business for clients with poor credit.
The majority of their customers cannot manage their money for many reasons. The most common reason is they were not taught personal finance management from their parents or by the educational system. Statistics show the majority of customers who use these businesses were not raised poor but are in fact middle class.
I will concede, however, if they are middle class and frequently use payday or other types of high-interest lending, they could very easily drop to "poor." High-interest lenders of any type are not the problem. Some schools now offer "token" personal finance courses, but that is simply not enough.
Comprehensive personal finance classes need to be integrated into schools from first grade onward. Schools are now requiring more advanced mathematics classes than ever before.
In reality, 60-70 percent of the students who take those advanced classes will never use them. However, 100 percent of those students will need to manage their personal finances in "real life."
Joe Kirkpatrick
Cleveland, Tenn.